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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24995992">Rooftops and the art of patience</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NimueApDumnonia/pseuds/NimueApDumnonia'>NimueApDumnonia</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Harry Has A Temper, M/M, Melodramatic Draco, Mind Healers (Harry Potter), POV Draco Malfoy, Post-War, Some Humor, Summer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:47:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,042</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24995992</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NimueApDumnonia/pseuds/NimueApDumnonia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Where Draco is in no way melodramatic and the Saviour of the Wizarding World finds himself fixing a roof.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>136</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 1</p><p>It was a Saturday morning in the beginning of August. The already hot sunlight found one Draco Malfoy standing very straight and preternaturally still on the front garden of his ancestral home, looking at the Manor.</p><p>Or glaring at the Manor, really, because at that exact moment all he wanted, from the bottom of his black soul, was to burn the whole wretched thing to the ground, Malfoy history be damned.</p><p>He took a deep, not at <em>all</em> calming breath. His Mind Healer kept pointing out he had quite the melodramatic streak. He was fairly certain that the self-satisfied imbecile would count arson as an overreaction. It was an absurd and completely unfair accusation, and the more Draco contemplated the issue, the more radically, pyromaniacally prone, <em>furious</em> he got.</p><p>The war had seen the Malfoy name in the gutter. Vaults frozen, Father imprisoned (that one was actually the only perk), Mother in tears banished to Toulouse, and Draco… Well. Draco was on house arrest until the start of term at Hogwarts, where he was required to take his NEWTS, as per one of the interminable clauses of his probation. Living until then on a meagre allowance that barely put food on the table.</p><p>It was fine. He didn't complain. It could have been worse. He hadn't even pointed out to those Ministry simpletons that it was far from coherent to put someone in therapy for all the Dark Lord trauma, while still requiring said patient to live in the fucking headquarters of Moldy Voldy. No, no. Draco Malfoy was working on his temper. Until this morning when half of the Manor's roof had caved in.</p><p>Really, if the roof could cave, why couldn’t he?</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>"Draco, darling-" Pansy ducked when a huge chunk of wood flew by alarmingly close to her head. "Please can we just sit down and discuss this for a minute?"</p><p>"NO!"</p><p>Pansy picked her way carefully around the semi destroyed rooftop, testing each bean before stepping on it. The loud crack of an axe hitting the wood made her jump. She could hear the few remaining peacocks in the garden screech in outrage.</p><p>"Draco, can't we just try to fix it?"</p><p>A blonde head suddenly popped from behind a wood plank, giving Pansy another start. Draco looked at her with a manic glint in his eyes.</p><p>"Fix it? There's no fixing this <em>clusterfuck</em>! Look!" He waved a broken roof tile at her, cheeks dirty with wall plaster.</p><p>"Well fine, so maybe not that one, but-"</p><p>"I'm going to rip it all apart piece by piece," Draco murmured gleefully, smiling at the tile.</p><p>Pansy turned helplessly to where Blaise was poised on a broom ("Dust on these trousers? I think <em>not.</em>"), looking for all the world as if he would start laughing at any second.</p><p>"It's all the inbreeding, Pansy, dear. It was bound to turn into madness at some point."</p><p>"Zabini, I swear to Salazar-" BOOM. Another bean caved. Somewhere down to Pansy's left, Draco could be heard cackling.</p><p>"I'm going to use the pieces as tinder," Draco continued cheerfully, voice far away as he rummaged around the bottom of the roof, one lone strand of pale hair sticking out and signalling his position.</p><p>THUMP.</p><p>Apparently, the axe was back.</p><p>"I'm going to burn this fucking place to ashes," he half exclaimed, half groaned, arching his back and struggling with the weight of the axe while trying to take impulse for another hit.</p><p>"You'll upset the peacocks!" Pansy feebly protested, feeling rather desperate.</p><p>"I'll <em>eat</em> the peacocks!" Draco yelled happily, promptly losing his balance and letting the axe drop. It got stuck on one of the beans and he grunted, trying to pull it free. "I'll roast them in my big Manor bonfire."</p><p>"Malfoy, old chap, you can't do that," Blaise chided, still relaxed in his broom, floating above his friend.</p><p>"I'll send the feathers to my father in a huge peacock <em>Indian</em> headdress."</p><p>"How the fuck do you know about Indian headdresses, you bloody lunatic? Can't we just <em>incarcerous</em> him?" Pansy's last question was directed at Blaise.</p><p>"And get arrested for suspicious use of magic? No, thank you, Parkinson."</p><p>"Yes, go away, Parkinson. It's very rude to keep a man from leisure activities in his own house," sniffed Draco, preparing for another strike and shaking his bottom in much the same way as a cat getting ready to jump a mouse.</p><p>"Be that as it may, Malfoy. You still can't burn down the house. Or destroy it."</p><p>"Why not," he squinted at Zabini, body wavering precariously under the axe.</p><p>"Because it would break your probation,” came a tired voice from a skylight in a mostly preserved part of the roof.</p><p>"Potter?" spluttered Draco, and the axe fell again from his hands.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 2</p><p>It was irreversibly stuck. Spells had been cast, tantrums thrown (See what you did,<em> Potter</em>?!), and a valiant attempt to shake the axe loose off the floorboards been made more than once by each of the four people present in the drawing-room.</p><p>"Well," said Blaise, still peering over the axe like it was some exotic plant, hands at his back. "As much as I am enjoying this Excalibur debacle, I'm afraid I must take my leave."</p><p>"And don't come back. Traitor." Grumbled a put-out Draco, sweaty and red-faced, sitting on the floor. It quickly became apparent even amongst all the yelling and cursing following Potter's entrance, that they had Blaise to blame for the presence of the Chosen One in the Manor. Blaise rolled his eyes.</p><p>"If you weren't behaving like a barmy old bat, I wouldn't have called your nanny."</p><p>"Zabini," Potter growled in warning, sending a scowl in his direction. Blaise grinned, unabashed.</p><p>"Apologies, Potter. How would you like me to call you? Draco's watch dog? Warden?"</p><p>"Pest?" suggested Draco.</p><p>"Muggles call them probation officers," Pansy interjected, and three pair of eyes stared at her in equal amounts of bafflement. She shrugged and calmly inspected her nails. "It's been the longest summer."</p><p>"Right," Potter rubbed his forehead in annoyance and sighed. "Malfoy, you know I'm supposed to keep an eye on you. It's on the terms of…"</p><p>"My probation. Yes, Saint Potty, I know," Draco interrupted, feeling mildly consoled when he saw a muscle ticking angrily in Potter's jaw. He got to his feet and started dusting his clothes.</p><p>"You can't pull shit like that, Malfoy!" Potter exclaimed, apparently running out of patience. "And who the fuck decides to hack down their house anyway?"</p><p>"I needed the kindling," said Draco airily, wrinkling his nose in distaste when he saw his dusting efforts were only spreading more wall plaster all over himself. Potter gaped at him.</p><p>"You needed the what?"</p><p>"I believe the plan was to incinerate the house, wasn't it darling?" Pansy asked in affected innocence, eyes twinkling. Draco made a face at her.</p><p>"Oh. Of course. I forgot. Burning down the Manor, right," mumbled Potter, dazed.</p><p>It would seem the Savior was struggling with the concept. Potter's mouth was still hanging slightly open. Draco fought down a petty remark. Waited. Tapped his foot. Lost.</p><p>"Do shut your mouth, won't you Potter? You'll get flies in it." He drawled, trying to give the bane of his existence the most disdainful look he could produce.</p><p>"Malfoy! You… I mean-"</p><p>"Articulated as always, eh?" Blaise was having way too much fun with the situation, in Draco's opinion. Even if Potter had the eloquence of a baboon.</p><p>"You were going to burn <em>down</em> the house? What kind of <em>melodramatic maniac</em>-?!"</p><p>"How dare you!" gasped Draco, clutching his chest in outrage. "The roof fell down on me, Potter! Literally! I was merely teaching it a lesson."</p><p>"A lesson?!"</p><p>"In loyalty," Draco replied in a dignified tone.</p><p>Potter looked about ready to tear his hair out and both his friends were snickering. Blaise patted Potter's arm amicably:</p><p>"Really good man, why are you so surprised? Did you forget the Dementor fiasco? The Hippogriff theatrics?" Potter started to smile, Blaise was full on laughing and Draco had had enough with the lot of them.</p><p>"Out of my house!" Draco yowled, all righteous anger and burning ears. "All of you, that's quite enough! Out!"</p><p>"See you later, darling." Pansy, the vicious harpy, waved with her fingers. Draco could hear her giggling even as she Apparated with a loud <em>crack</em>. Blaise was next, retrieving his broom from Merlin knew where and leaving them behind with a cheerful:</p><p>"Good luck, boys!"</p><p>Draco narrowed his eyes at the remaining, most unwelcome visitor.</p><p>"Well? What are you waiting for? Trumpets announcing the way to the gates?" Draco asked, exasperated. Potter was still smiling a bit, green eyes extra bright in the morning light, and that made Draco irrationally angry all over again. He needed to have a word with his Healer. Clearly the man was an incompetent buffoon.  </p><p>He bumped his shoulder hard against Potter's and left the drawing room in a huff.</p><p>"Malfoy, come on,” he could hear the mirth in the voice of Prat Who Lived and threw one scathing look in his direction as he walked down a half-blocked hallway. "Where are you going?"</p><p>"Kitchen! If I cannot demolish this place, I might as well have some tea,” he reached the stairs and started jumping down the steps two at a time in his rush to get away. "You can leave Potter, you made your point. The Manor will prevail."</p><p>Soon they were crossing the entrance hall, which managed to be freezing and give off a malevolent energy despite summer's best efforts. Merlin, how he hated this house. At least the roof on this section of the Manor was still holding.</p><p>"Are you going to fix the roof?" Draco rolled his eyes at the stupid question. As if he had the money.</p><p>"Sure Potter. I'll hire some contractors." Potter’s hand was abruptly halting him in the middle of the hall. All amusement was gone from his eyes.</p><p>"Look, I know you can't hire anyone because of the probation-" <em>'And the money'</em> thought Draco bitterly. "But what about the house elves? They could help."</p><p>Draco made a show of looking around himself. Malfoy Manor was deadly silent. No house elf wanted to step even one foot inside the place after the war. Draco didn't blame them.</p><p>This seemed to shut Potter up for a second. His gaze seemed to take in the rundown appearance of the Manor and then travel to the clothes hanging loosely from Draco's frame. He started frowning.</p><p>"Oh. Er… well, maybe you could buy the material and fix the roof by yourself?" He sounded doubtful even as he said the words. Draco scoffed.</p><p>"Absolutely, I'll start right away."</p><p>Potter threw his arms up in aggravation. "Stop being such a tosser Malfoy, I'm trying to help!"</p><p>"I don't want your help! I just want you to <em>go</em>!"</p><p>"Well, then what are going to do with the roof? You have to stay here, you're on house arrest!"</p><p>"Fucking hell, I KNOW! Stop wasting all that sickening goodness on me, <em>Oh Savior</em>. I'm a Death Eater, I deserve to be almost crushed to death in my own bed!"</p><p>Potter stared wide eyed at him.</p><p>"You think somebody made the roof fall on purpose?" he asked, running both his hands through his hair and making the whole thing reach a new level of unruly.</p><p>"Good grief Potter, don't look like you've just seen somebody kick a crup. <em>No</em>, I don’t think I was attacked. I think this is the result of dark magic and rot."</p><p>"I still want to help," grumbled Potter stubbornly.</p><p>"Merlin, not this again. NO!"</p><p>"WHY NOT?"</p><p>"Because it's humiliating," shouted Draco, reaching fresh levels of distress. "I already owe you enough! I took the wrong side of the war! I had to sit there and listen to you defending me at the Wizengamot even though I didn't deserve it! I have to count down every knut to be able to eat! Do you think I have the funds to re-roof the Manor?! My house is crumbling down on top of me and I can't get out, I can't fix it and I just want you to <em>please</em>, for the love of Salazar, <em>go</em> and-"</p><p>"Malfoy," Potter interrupted him. Draco shifted on his feet, something in the other's tone abruptly making him feel uncertain. "What do you mean, you have to count your money to eat?"</p><p>"I… Well." Draco darted his own eyes around the drafty room, uneasy. Grasped for a derisive posture. "Look, I'm not <em>complaining</em> Potter, I'm fine. It's called punishment for a reason. I was merely explaining about the roof expenses."</p><p>"You were supposed to have access to your personal vault," his voice was harsh and at his sides, his hands were closed in tight fists.</p><p>"Hm. I… Was I?" That wasn't on the document he signed. Draco chanced a peek at Potter's face and was confronted by blazing green eyes and a hard-set jaw. "P-Potter? You're wearing your war face. Could you stop?" he stammered, taking a step back.</p><p>"Point me to a working fireplace, Malfoy."</p><p>Draco gulped and glanced at the chandelier high above, which had started to shake in a rather disquieting manner. Magic was gathering around them at an alarming rate.</p><p>"Er Potter, have you ever wondered about you temper? I know this <em>excellent</em> Mind Healer…"</p><p>"NOW!"</p><p>Draco startled and likely to the mortification his ancestors, sprinted away to comply.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello!<br/>Thank you for the kudos and the reviews! I'm having a lot of fun writing this fic, and I'm glad you had fun reading it too! =D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 3</p><p>
  <em>"… I fought in a WAR to stop this bloody nonsense and then I find out…"</em>
</p><p>Draco found himself sitting stiffly in an armchair at the library a couple of hours later. He was utterly horrified. Harry Potter was currently kneeling in front of the fireplace screaming himself hoarse at the Minister of Magic. <em>The. Minister. Of. Magic</em>.</p><p>
  <em>"… well what's the sodding good of having a trial and a justice system if…"</em>
</p><p>It was enough to give him the vapors. Draco hid his face behind his hands and peeped through his fingers. It was a bit like watching two trains crash. One just couldn’t look away.</p><p>
  <em>"I DON'T CARE! The whole lot of them are sickening and…"</em>
</p><p>On the one hand, Potter was at least following the hierarchy, Draco though idly, trying to keep hysterical laughter from escaping his lips. He started off fire-calling Gringotts, then the Aurors Department, <em>then</em> the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. A jumble of garbled <em>patronuses</em> had been sent off in a flurry in between those. And now Shackelbolt.</p><p>
  <em>"… screw over a person on probation? Are all the other actual Death Eaters already in Azkaban?!"</em>
</p><p>On the other hand, Potter, already frighteningly furious to begin with, had worked himself up into a rage. Magic crackled and zapped everywhere, and Draco had witnessed the demise of more than one of his mother's priceless vases in detached stupor.</p><p>
  <em>"FINE!"</em>
</p><p>Potter rose, grumbling and shaking his robes. He was apparently done. Draco put his hands down but was unable to stop staring. Potter himself had his eyes firmly on the fireplace. He looked remarkably shy in the sudden silence. For someone that was shouting with such abandon just a few seconds ago, anyway.</p><p>"Why the fuck are you so concerned about the fair treatment of a Death Eater?" Draco finally managed to choke out. "I tortured innocent people, you do know that, right?"</p><p>"It's different. You were…" Potter waved his hand vaguely. "It's just different."</p><p>"I shared this very house you are so hellbent on saving with Voldemort, did you forget that?" Potter shot him a dark look.</p><p>"I didn't forget anything Malfoy. Like I didn't forget that in the end you were just scared and wanted out. Your mother was just scared and she…. And you helped. Both of you. Ok?"</p><p>"I was absolutely <em>not</em>…" Draco sighed mid-sentence. Shrugged. "Fine. Yes. Doesn't change what we did at the beginning."</p><p>"No," Potter rubbed the back of his neck. He was back to frowning at the hearth. "But now the Ministry is the new prejudiced bastard pushing people around. I'm fucking tired of bullies."</p><p>Their eyes met. Some long forgotten part of Draco's brain still holding on to ancient grudges was finally able to make an old connection.</p><p>"That's why you never shook my hand, isn't it?"</p><p>"Malfoy, what?-"</p><p>A loud <em>crack</em> made them both jump. Draco looked to his left, only to be confronted with Ronald Weasley standing by his side, struggling to balance two enormous rickety baskets in his arms. Draco gawked in a most undignified manner. The previous somber mood was quickly forgotten.</p><p>"Alright, ferr- Er… Malfoy?" Weasley gave him a nod. "Harry?"</p><p>"What the bloody hell is this, Weasel?"</p><p>Draco struggled with his rigid legs to get up. (He had been sitting a long, <em>long</em> time. Potter sure had a good pair of lungs and the stamina to go with it). He was seized by this ridiculous notion that if he could only get to his feet, the ginger bloke standing in his library would disappear. Weirder things had happened. Specially lately. Just look at this Potter situation.</p><p>"Oh, hey Ron. That's all the food then?"</p><p>"What sodding food?"</p><p>"Yeah. Mum got a little insane though. You know how she is." They smiled at each other. Draco scowled at them both.</p><p>"Cease this nonsense at once!" he shrieked. "I will <em>not</em> become the charity case of the Weasleys! Take this plebeian drivel back."</p><p>Potter rolled his eyes.</p><p>"No,” he said simply. "Where is the kitchen?"</p><p>"None of your bloody business! Away with you!"</p><p>Weasley, who was distractedly trying to scratch his nose in the handle of one of the baskets, started to snicker.</p><p>"Did he always talk like this? I don't remember him sounding like that big a git in school."</p><p>
  <em>"Excuse me?!"</em>
</p><p>"You know, I think he got more dramatic, yeah."</p><p>"POTTER!"</p><p>"Ok, I have to go, mate. Meet you here tomorrow morning."</p><p>"You most certainly will<em> not,</em>" Draco spluttered.</p><p>"Cheers, Ron."</p><p>
  <em>Crack.</em>
</p><p>"Potter,” Draco spat out, fuming. "I will murder you, probation or not."</p><p>"Sure,” Potter had the gall to grin at him. He picked up the baskets Ron had set on the floor. "You can throw me in that Manor bonfire. Kitchen?"</p><p>And to Draco's consternation, he started walking away.</p><p>"You come back here this instant! Stop with your Savior favours! You are <em>not</em> welcome, do you understand?"</p><p>"Shut up, Malfoy!" Potter sounded almost cheerful. "I'm moving in."</p><p>"<em>WHAT?! POTTER!!!"</em></p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello!<br/>Thanks you all so much for the reviews and kudos. You bring me joy =D<br/>I need to give credit here to my amazing beta, WtheB (got the reference?), who puts up with my nonsense and encourages me to write faster hahaha<br/>Have a great weekend!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 4</p><p>It soon became apparent to Draco that while Potter yelling at people had the power to make the bureaucratic wheel spin that much faster, no amount of yelling at <em>him</em> could make Saint Potter move anywhere. Including out, as it happened. And oh, how Draco had yelled. And threatened. And insulted.</p><p>In spite of all this, Potter had proceeded to merrily invite more Gryffindors over, each one bringing an assortment of supplies he deemed necessary. The day carried on in a mind-boggling succession of unlikely visitors. Draco became convinced at some point that he was just having a freakishly long nightmare. No cause for anxiety, he just had to be patient. Any minute now, he was certain, Nagini would come sliding through one of the corridors, and he would wake up shaking in his bed as usual.</p><p>How else could Bill Weasley popping up in Malfoy territory be explained? The man strolled in just as Draco was threatening to throw a lamp at Potter. He looked around with curiosity, taking in the destroyed drawing room to which Draco and Potter had retreated after another screaming match in the kitchen. One of his lips quirked up- Draco was still holding the lamp over his head.</p><p>"Alright, lads?"</p><p>"Redecorating, apparently," said Potter from his place near a window, smirking. He was twirling his wand in his fingers, completely unconcerned about Draco's previous intimidation techniques. Weasley laughed and turned to Draco.</p><p>"This is from your vault, until Gringotts can make things straight officially," he said, extending a bag filled with galleons to Draco. </p><p>Draco put the lamp down awkwardly and stammered a dumbfounded "Really?" – that had Potter snickering. Draco glowered in his direction.</p><p>And then:</p><p>"I thought I could only have access to my vaults after finishing Hogwarts."</p><p>"To the whole of them, yes. You should have had access to your personal one from the start. Apparently, there has been a… mistake in the paperwork. I fixed it"</p><p>"Oh,” Draco said quietly. Potter arched an eyebrow when Draco turned to look at him. He seemed to be saying <em>'Told you so.'</em>, and it was rather aggravating.</p><p>There would be no respite in this charity receiving business, Draco thought bitterly to himself. He let his shoulders sag a bit even as Slytherin pride protested from deep inside his bones.</p><p>As Draco searched for words, Weasley shot Potter a meaningful look. It was lost on the other if his confused expression was anything to go by.</p><p>"So! Do you know how to make wolfsbane?" asked Weasley, breaking the uncomfortable silence. "I don't turn, but I get rather moody near the full moon, you know. Only I'm pants at potions."</p><p>Draco nodded, feeling relieved at the implied request. Bartering goods – a much more enjoyable activity than this endless aid receiving indignity. </p><p>"I can send you some in two weeks, should you want me to."</p><p>"Alright. Cheers." – Bill grinned and was gone the next second.</p><p>McGonagall followed, stern robes somehow still pristine even in the heat of midday. She gave them both a severe look. Using the excuse of clearing out the debris in the drawing room, Draco and Potter had been just shoving each other around instead. As was evidently clear to the teacher.</p><p>"I will expect irreproachable behavior from you at Hogwarts, gentleman. None of your previous shenanigans will be tolerated."</p><p>"<em>You're</em> coming back to Hogwarts?" Draco asked, disbelieving.</p><p>"Hermione," Potter quipped, shrugging.</p><p>"Quite. It came to my attention that you require a new wand, Mr. Malfoy. Since your old one has been malfunctioning," McGonagall interrupted briskly, and another parcel was shoved into Draco's hands. "This should do nicely for now."</p><p>Last came a good-natured fellow who introduced himself as Charlie Weasley – to which Draco wondered if he was bound to meet the whole family in one go – and dropped a shrunken package full of construction material on the floor.</p><p>"Just don't ask for my dad's help, eh?" he said, casually stealing a piece of cake from Potter's plate. (They'd taken that tea break after all). "You've seen the Burrow."</p><p>Draco hadn't, and was glad of it.</p><p>He pondered to himself, feeling vaguely nauseous, how exactly was it that his life had suddenly been taken over by a bunch of overly eager do-gooders.  He just wanted to brood away his probation time all by himself, was that too much to ask?</p><p>And then it was night-time, and Potter disappeared for a while. <em>"Don't get your hopes up, I'll just pack some stuff."</em></p><p>Draco took petty delight in transfiguring the lumpiest, most uncomfortable armchair he could get his hands on into a bed for Potter. They had agreed, after much back and forth, that it was probably safest to stay in the library, as it was the furthest away from the disaster area.</p><p>He pointedly refused to acknowledge the small part of his mind that was feeling very grateful indeed at not being forced to spend another night alone in this mausoleum of a house. Draco transfigured another bed for himself – this one positively cozy, - and fell asleep before Potter returned.</p><p>***</p><p>
  <strong>11:00 pm.</strong>
</p><p>Potter had nightmares. Horrible, fucking <em>loud</em> nightmares.</p><p>Draco woke to a blood-curdling scream, heart racing. For a moment, he was thrown back into Voldemort times in the Manor, and it took him a few seconds to re-orientate himself.</p><p>"P-Potter?" his sheets tangled around his legs when he made to get out of the bed. The library was in disquieting darkness, and all Draco could see was an unfocused shape twisting next to him. "Shit. Potter! Wake the hell up!"</p><p>More piteous noises. Oh, this was preposterous. Where the sodding hell was his wand? As if Draco didn't have enough on his hands dealing with his own nightmares.</p><p>"HARRY POTTER!" he boomed, at the same time casting a <em>Lumos</em>. And had to immediately duck when an orange hex was thrown his way.</p><p>"W-what? Where am-"</p><p>While Potter gasped next to him, pointing his wand in every direction, and scrambling for his glasses, Draco turned to look behind himself. Sir Brutus Malfoy was now shrieking and shaking a parchment angrily in their direction. His portrait hung skewed and his blond eyebrows were distinctly singed.</p><p>Draco was not impressed.</p><p>"Really, Potter," he drawled. "Are you taking these excellent danger-detecting instincts of yours to the Aurory?"</p><p>"Shut up, Malfoy," grumbled his most unwelcome visitor, rubbing his eyes tiredly.</p><p>"I though the whole point of having to put up with your aggravating self was to fix the Manor, no? Surely blasting the portraits go against the spirit of the mission?"</p><p>"<em>You're</em> the aggravating bloody…" came the mumbled reply as Potter turned his back to Draco's bed and prepared to go back to sleep.</p><p>"It's very rude to mutter, you know. A gentleman should speak his insults in a clear tone."</p><p>"Shut up, Malfoy!" Potter turned to glare at Draco. "Clear enough?"</p><p>Draco shrugged and whispered <em>Nox</em>.</p><p>
  <strong>2:00 am.</strong>
</p><p>Whimper.</p><p><em>'No, no, not again,'</em> thought Draco to himself.</p><p>Whimper number two.</p><p>Maybe if he ignored it, Potter would eventually settle down.</p><p>Flat out shout.</p><p>"Merlin's wrinkly <em>balls,</em>" growled Draco, scrambling out of his bed and standing up. "<em>Lumos</em>."</p><p>A distressed Potter was tossing and turning. Draco rolled his eyes and this time started by putting Potter's wand out of his reach.</p><p>"<em>Aguamenti!</em>"</p><p>A distressed Potter was still tossing and turning, only now he was also spluttering water out of his mouth and nose while cussing. Draco smiled broadly. It was such a heart-warming sight.</p><p>"Fucking hell, Malfoy!" he shouted, jumping out of his bed and shaking his covers.</p><p>"Mother always told me to have a glass of water after bad dreams," said Draco sweetly. He fought down the urge to maniacally hoot at the evil glower Potter was sending him. The effect was somewhat lost when the person looked like a half-drowned cat.</p><p>"Give me that, you tosser," he tore his wand from Draco's hand and cast a general drying charm around himself. "I should hex you."</p><p>"Excuse me Potter, I'm the victim here. Apparently, the Ministry is trying to sleep deprive Death Eaters to their early grave."</p><p>"I'm trying to help you, you unbelievable prat!" Potter yelled, angrily getting back to bed. "Why do you have to make everything so difficult?! And <em>everyone</em> has nightmares, so don't come acting like you came out of that bloody war completely okay!"</p><p>Draco huffed and went to his own side of the library. He sulked for a minute, grinding his teeth. Potter was leaning against the bedframe, and by the looks of his frown, he was equally bad-tempered.</p><p>"You have a serious condition, Potter. This need of yours to fix the whole world in positively obsessive."</p><p>"I'm fixing your sodding roof, Malfoy, not the world! And tomorrow I'll be done with this shit <em>obsession</em> and you can go starve to death for all I care!" He shouted, lying down and punching his pillow.</p><p>Draco scoffed dismissively, ignoring the twinge of guilt in his gut. He glared at the ceiling until sleep claimed him again.</p><p>
  <strong>4:30 am</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Lumos.</em>
</p><p>He was at it once more. How badly could a person possibly sleep? And one would think that Mind Healers would fall over themselves to rid the Boy Who Lived of scary dreams. Who was responsible for this atrocious state of Potter's affairs?</p><p>Cursing himself, his life, and <em>really</em> cursing Harry Potter, Draco got up and shook said Chosen One awake.</p><p>They stared at each other, Potter still gasping, the nightmare lingering in his wide eyes.</p><p>"Move over," Draco said in an annoyed tone.</p><p>"Why? No." They grappled for the covers for a moment, until Draco elbowed Potter in the ribs <em>("OW!")</em> and lied down next to him.</p><p>"What the hell are you doing?" squawked Potter nervously, scrambling to put distance between them.</p><p>"I'm doing you a <em>favour,</em>" sneered Draco, turning to his side. "See how you like it now. Back to my back, Potter."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>Draco sighed in displeasure.</p><p>"Put your back to my back," he said slowly, over-enunciating the words. "It's not that hard."</p><p>"But-"</p><p>"Just do it!" Draco snapped and waited while Potter shifted around uncertainly. He then adjusted himself, so they were pressed firmly against each other.</p><p>"What are you doing, Malfoy?" Potter repeated, this time in a quiet voice. Draco whispered <em>Nox</em> again.</p><p>"Shut up. I'll watch this side; you watch the other. You're not… Well, you're not <em>alone</em>, Potter. Alright?"</p><p>It took a few minutes, but Draco finally felt his reticent bedfellow relaxing.</p><p>"S'good," Potter mumbled sleepily. "How'd you know?"</p><p>"Doesn't matter," Draco whispered. Potter was already asleep.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you all for the kudos and comments! You're too good to me :D<br/>Kapo_de_uva, don't worry, I'm finishing this story. I made a bet with myself, can't give up.<br/>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 5</p><p>Draco opened his eyes to gentle sunlight streaming through the library windows. He sighed in contentment, watching the flecks of dust lazily playing in the light. He was warm and cosy and…</p><p>He abruptly froze midway through his sleepy wiggling around routine. Took alarmed inventory of the arm thrown possessively over him, the warm breath pleasantly tickling the hairs on the back of his neck. And was that a stiffy poking him around the...</p><p>"Circe's saggy tits!" Draco wheezed to himself, clambering out of the bed in a mad dash that somehow caused him to fall hard on his behind. "Fuck!"</p><p>"What's this now?" Harry Potter stuck his head out of the bed, looking drowsy and confused. His hair was an appalling mess sticking in every direction.</p><p>"You!" Draco pointed a trembling finger at his nemesis. "You are a menace! You are the root of the expression: 'No good deed goes unpunished!'"</p><p>"What are you on about, Malfoy?" Asked Potter, yawning.</p><p>"You were rubbing your Saviour plonker between my unaware arse cheeks Potter, that's what I'm on about!"</p><p>"I did not!" Potter protested, flushing bright red and sitting up. "I- I would never. I don't even like-" Potter gave a mean glare and finally exploded:</p><p>"Stop making stuff up, Malfoy, bloody hell!"</p><p>"I beg your pardon! Making stuff up! Look at the state your cock, you absolute wanker!"</p><p>Potter looked down at his crotch. He opened and closed his mouth in mortified astonishment for a few seconds, taking in his very happy privates.</p><p>“I… Oh my God,” he groaned, hiding his face behind his hands. Draco got up, rubbing his backside and nodding.</p><p>“Indeed, Potter. The general idea was to keep you from having nightmares, not giving you wet dreams.”</p><p>Potter gave a muffled cry. “I should have stayed dead.”</p><p>“Just so. You- What?”</p><p>“Nothing,” the other replied, dropping his hands and still looking flustered. “I’m really sorry. I don’t usually… I just…”</p><p>“The Weaselete not doing a good job then, eh?” Draco leered at him.  Potter made a face.</p><p>“Stop acting like it doesn’t happen to everyone.”</p><p>“Yes. Especially the sexually frustrated.”</p><p>“Malfoy, it’s too bloody early for this,” he grumbled, annoyance apparently starting to gain on embarrassment.</p><p>“Potter I can’t see why you just won’t admit that-”</p><p>“We broke up, alright? After the battle,” Potter yelled. Draco felt a slow smile forming on his lips.</p><p>“Really?” He drawled. Smirked. “Well in that case I can’t really hold it against you, Potter. I am quite dashing after all.”</p><p>Potter gave him a murderous look and seemed to be on the verge of shouting some choice expletives when Weasley’s voice came booming from somewhere above them.</p><p>“Harry? Malfoy? I brought the cavalry.”</p><p>***</p><p>The cavalry, as it were, consisted of one Hermione Granger. She came in talking a million words per minute, hair messily done up in a bun and for all purposes having acquired mastery in magical construction theory over the last 12 hours.</p><p>“… truly fascinating, what they can do with magical houses. You should read up on some of the books I bought yesterday, Harry. It would really help you when you decide to remodel Grimmauld Place.”</p><p>They were sitting around a table in the drawing room. Ron Weasley had brought yet another basket, only this time with an appalling amount of breakfast goods that were already divided into individual portions. Or what Mrs. Weasley figured that an individual should have as a portion.<em> “It’s Mum, don’t ask.”, </em>was all Weasley had to say when Draco’s eyebrows rose almost to his hairline.</p><p>“Erm… I’m remodelling Grimmauld Place?” Potter asked while accepting a plate filled high with eggs and toast.</p><p>“Well honestly Harry, you can’t expect to live there as it is. With that horrible portrait and ghastly wallpaper. Why, the dark artefacts alone….”</p><p>“It’s not so bad there, it’s…” Potter trailed off, searching for words.</p><p>“It’s a deathtrap, mate. One of the faucets tried to bite my hand last week,” Weasleyinterrupted, talking around a big bite of cake. Draco snorted into his tea.</p><p>“Yeah, alright,” sighed Potter, shoulders sagging. “But what about the roof here?”</p><p>“Right,” Hermione brightened, leaning in. “It’s very straightforward really. First, we have to dispel the dark magic that made the roof cave in the first place. Draco, you were right about that.”</p><p>“<em>Draco</em>?” repeated Weasley, mouth agape. Hermione gave him a disapproving look.</p><p>“Yes, Draco. He sent me a lovely letter apologising in the beginning of summer. And he has been helping me with the magical theory for reversing memory charms.”</p><p>
  <em>“You told him about your parents?”</em>
</p><p>Draco sat up, interested. It seemed as if Weasley was on the brink of a fainting spell.</p><p>“Why didn’t you say so?” Potter asked, bemused.</p><p>“Wait a bloody minute, I didn’t get any letters!” Weasley protested. “Did you, Harry?”</p><p>“Saying your hair is ugly isn’t a war crime, Weasel,” Draco replied calmly, peering at Weasley over the rim of his cup of tea. He bit back a laugh when the other man spluttered in indignation. Hermione sighed.</p><p>“Stop being idiots.”</p><p>“You could have told us, that’s all,” Potter mumbled, still frowning.</p><p>“Oh Harry,” she sent him a sympathetic look “I just thought it was too much at the time. We were all dealing with the aftermath of the war. Ron, you were in no state to talk at all until July. And Harry, you know how you get when we talk about Draco.”</p><p>Draco stared from Hermione’s earnest expression to Weasley’s suddenly mollified nodding. Turned to Potter, who was studiously not meeting his eyes. His face was darkening to an intriguing beet-red shade.</p><p>“Well do tell, Potter, how <em>do</em> you get when they talk about me?”</p><p>Weasley surprised Draco by snorting.</p><p>“You can’t imagine? Didn’t he just take over your house?”</p><p>“Ron!” Potter was sinking into his chair, the very picture of discomfort.</p><p>“Oh, come on mate. He knows! What about sixth year when-”</p><p>“Ohh, is it making fun of Potter time?” Came a delighted voice from the door. Pansy was walking in with a mocking smile, Blaise following close behind. “Did you cover the glasses?”</p><p>“The clothes?” asked Blaise.</p><p>“The hair?”</p><p>Draco sniggered while his friends found places around the table. Even if a niggling part of him was annoyed at the interruption. Draco was a sore topic in the Chosen One’s life?</p><p>“Oh, grow up, all of you,” said Hermione impatiently, with a roll of her eyes. “Since you’re both here, you will help us with the restoration.”</p><p>“Excuse me?”</p><p>“But they’re Slytherins!”</p><p>“Granger, I’m very sorry, but my manicure must-”</p><p>“Hermione, seriously…”</p><p>“…Really pushing the limits of a friendship, I mean…”</p><p>Hermione gave one thunderous glare to the lot of them and that was the end of it.</p><p>***</p><p>Evening found Draco sunken to the chin in his bathtub, pondering the merits of never getting up again. He was utterly exhausted. It seemed to him that every single muscle of his body was aching. He wouldn’t be surprised if someone informed him that his magical core had been completely depleted. Hermione Granger had proved to be one ruthless supervisor. At one point, Draco had suggested just leaving the house as it was, honestly, he wouldn’t mind. A bit of extra air in a couple of rooms, wasn’t that healthy? A while later, Potter himself had lost his temper when a bean fell on his head and proposed very loudly they really did destroy the whole place, probation be damned. Draco could live somewhere else in hiding, apparently.</p><p>By lunch time they were all snapping angrily at each other. By teatime, Pansy had inevitably broken a nail and thrown the mother of all tantrums. Hermione finally relented and said they could continue the next day. Pansy immediately left in a huff, without so much as a good day flung their way, the savage. The Golden Trio had then buggered off to Merlin knew where and that left Draco soaking alone in hot water, trying to regain the feeling in his legs.</p><p>“It’s time to come clean, old chap. No pun intended.”</p><p>The voice sent Draco splashing like a crazed hippogryph, throwing water everywhere.</p><p>“Zabini!” Draco bellowed in outrage when he could finally breathe again. Blaise’s amused smile wasn’t helping him find his lost poise. “Have you no decorum?! One afternoon with Gryffindors and you turn into a heathen?!”</p><p>Blaise sat chuckling in the chair, legs elegantly crossed. (Yes, Draco did have a chair in his bathroom. He was a firm believer of leisuring his way through morning routines, thank you very much).</p><p>“Please. As If I haven’t seen you naked before.”</p><p>Draco squinted at his friend, trying and failing to find the strength to hit him. He sighed, primly rearranging the bubbles in order to cover his bits. Blaise rolled his eyes but didn’t comment.</p><p>“What is going on between you and Potter?”</p><p>“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” said Draco in his idlest tone, leaning back against the bathtub and closing his eyes.</p><p>“He spent an awful amount of time gazing at you.”</p><p>“Well, I <em>am</em> a delight to look at.”</p><p>“And blushing.”</p><p>“Isn’t summer a reasonable cause for red cheeks?”</p><p>“Indeed. And what about when the <em>heat</em> caused him to lose his shirt and you drooled like a commoner?”</p><p>Draco sat back up and glowered at Blaise.</p><p>“Why are you here ruining my bath?” Blaise leaned over, jaw resting on his hands, grinning like that weird Muggle Cheshire Cat.</p><p>“Why are the both of you behaving like schoolgirls?”</p><p>Draco drummed his fingers against the tub’s porcelain irritably.</p><p>“We had a somewhat distressing morning, that’s all,” Draco said in a lofty tone. And when Blaise raised an eyebrow: “Desist, Zabini! There is nothing between me and Potter!”</p><p>A Dragonpox on Harry Potter and his disruptive ways, Draco thought to himself after Blaise had left him to finish his bath in sullen resentment. Why did he have to change the dynamics of their respectful rivalry with favours and fascinating morning woods?</p><p>***</p><p>They were back to sharing a bed.</p><p>Draco still couldn’t quite believe he was back in this position. So to speak. Wasn’t it just an hour ago he had pledged very seriously to himself to be as cold and sneering as a Malfoy ought to when dealing with the Saviour? If Harry weren’t such a Gryffindor, he would have sworn that this was Slytherin subterfuge. Shameless Salazarian manipulation.</p><p>Back at the library after his bath, ready for supper and sleep, Draco found one Harry Potter standing awkwardly next to a table filled with snacks. He stopped on his tracks.</p><p>“Weren’t there vows of never sleeping at Malfoy Manor again and leaving me to starvation last night, Potter? Please, don’t break your word on my account.” Potter shuffled around, stuffing his hands in his pockets.</p><p>“Right. I’m sorry about that. Everything sets me off these days.”</p><p>“Riveting,” sniffed Draco dismissively. He stepped closer to the table, eyeing a piece of pie with interest. “Where are your better halves?”</p><p>“Back at the Burrow. Hermione is staying there for now, until she fixes her parent’s memories.” Draco made a noncommittal noise and took a plate to his bed. Harr-<em>Potter</em> was still watching him, bouncing a bit of his feet with nervous energy.</p><p>“It’s nice that you’re helping her.”</p><p>“Oh, don’t you dare Potter. I’m not <em>nice</em>. I just happen to like the theory, that’s all.” Harry grumbled something under his breath.</p><p>“I can’t hear you,” Draco shouted obnoxiously while forking a piece of pie. Harry flopped to his own bed and crossed his arms. They fell into silence. Draco figured it was only gracious of him to give Harr-<em>Potter, Merlin’s beard</em>, time to think of a good retort. So, he finished his pie. Tapped his foot in the rhythm of one of his mother’s favourite waltzes. Potter was still quiet. When Voldemort was living here, the worst parts always happened in the silence. All was good and well if Voldy was giving speeches, it was the pauses really that brought-</p><p>Draco inhaled sharply and looked up. “Potter, I swear to Merlin,-”</p><p>He cut himself off. Was Potter <em>sad</em>? He took in the gloomy expression, the defensive set of his shoulders.</p><p>“I hate this house,” Harry’s voice almost didn’t carry, it was so low.</p><p>“Well. Yes.” Draco put his plate in a little table close by. “Me too.”</p><p>Their eyes met for a long moment and Draco felt his resolve crumbling. He took a deep breath and scooched to the far end of his bed, pointedly raising his covers. Harry was lying by his side almost instantly.</p><p>“Hey, this bed is softer than mine!”</p><p>“Shut up, Harry.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 6</p><p>“He is trying to kill me.”</p><p>“Harry Potter.”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Who just sacrificed so much to keep the whole of the wizarding world safe.” Draco scowled at that. His therapist raised an eyebrow, not in the least intimidated.</p><p>“Well, if you’re going to break into song over Potter’s sainthood, by all means, don’t let me keep you,” he made to get up from his chair. Healer Hall actually rolled his eyes. The sheer <em>gall</em> of that man, honestly.</p><p>“Sit down, Draco,” the man sighed, shaking his head. They were meeting in a small office on some forsaken part of the Manor. Draco had spent a good 15 minutes putting up privacy charms on the doors. The thought of the Golden Trio listening in on his session actually made his stomach roll.</p><p>“Why do you think Mr. Potter is trying to kill you?”</p><p>“The evidence is staggering, I told you.”</p><p>“Because he is helping you restore the house?”</p><p>“Yes. That was when he tried to kill me from mortification.”</p><p>“I see. And the food?”</p><p>“Heart disease. But it would take too long, so he gave up.”</p><p>“Naturally.”</p><p>“Then the bed incident.”</p><p>“The… bed?”</p><p>“Indeed. The One-Eyed Trouser Snake murder attempt.” Healer Hall blinked.</p><p>“You know. Potter’s Twig and Berries? His Throbbing Whistle. The Purple-”</p><p>“Stop. Please. I understand. So you and Mr. Potter had intercourse?” Draco spluttered, eyes going wide as saucers.</p><p>“No! Why, I never! Absolutely not!”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“He just… He teased me into a… flustered… state. In a clear effort to cause my early demise.”</p><p>“Draco…”</p><p>“And then this morning!” He could see that his therapist was smiling gently, always a clear sign he though Draco was being silly. “This morning I woke up first, and <em>I</em> was draped all over Potter. You see what he’s done?”</p><p>“No. What assassination plan was that?” Draco huffed and tapped his fingers on the side of the armchair.</p><p>“I don’t know,” he admitted, but then set his chin haughtily up. “But I’m certain it’s untoward.”</p><p>“Draco. You fancy him.”</p><p>“I do not!” Draco sneered. “I fear for my life, I’m telling you!”</p><p>“And it seems he fancies you too.”</p><p>“Potter likes girls.”</p><p>“You are two young men sharing a bed.”</p><p>“But he is not bent!” His therapist just continued to look at him calmly. “Is he?”</p><p>***</p><p>Well, <em>was he</em>? How exactly does one go about asking something like that? Draco shifted restlessly on the top of the bean he was supposed to be hammering into submission. Hermione had banned magic for this part of the task. In her defense, Blaise had almost – accidentally, Draco was sure – maimed Ronald with an overly enthusiastic swarm of nails.</p><p>“This is why we went to war against you people, you know,” Pansy had declared darkly, glaring at the hammer Harry had just given her.</p><p>Draco tried to scoot forward inconspicuously, in a bid to get closer to Ronald. Best mates were supposed to have this kind of information at hand, right? He scowled at the amused look Blaise shot him, trying to express to him the general feeling of ‘piss off’. The effectiveness of this was debatable, seeing as the bastard winked at him. He turned back around and found that Ronald was looking at him most suspiciously.</p><p>“What are you doing, Malfoy?” Draco lowered his eyes and started tracing his fingers in random patters on the wood. Ultimately decided that he could be casual.</p><p>“I’m merely… You see...” He took a deep breath. “You know Harry very well, yes?”</p><p>Ronald raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“Your point?”</p><p>“Hm… Is he…?” Draco could just <em>feel</em> himself flushing, <em>feel</em> the barely concealed gazes of the others in their direction. There would be no end to the teasing from Zabini. He would taunt him forever.</p><p>“Is he…?” Ronald prompted.</p><p>“Particular? I mean, in his tastes.”</p><p>“His <em>tastes</em>?” Ronald gaped, baffled. Draco frowned. Really, would he actually have to spell it out?</p><p>“Yes. Would you say, given his upbringing and natural inclinations, that he… Is he… Normally, I mean, does he like…” Was Draco rambling? He suspected he was rambling. “Because it’s appalling, you understand, but some were raised in a certain way and afterwards…”</p><p>Ronald tilted his head to the side, and Draco went silent.</p><p>“Right. You mean because his relatives were such arseholes, if he is ok?”</p><p>“Arseholes? What… <em>Excuse me</em>?”</p><p>***</p><p>“… and then, we can just <em>vanish</em> all the evidence!” Draco finished happily, and with a flourish, the image of the muggle house drawn in the air disappeared. Ron had his chin in one hand, grunting as he thought about the plan.</p><p>“But you see, that wouldn’t work, because the neighbors-” Ron unexpectedly gulped and straightened up. Draco looked in the same direction and found Harry and Hermione staring incredulously at the both of them.</p><p>“What the sodding hell are you doing?” Asked Harry, hoarse, eyes quickly taking in all the maps, sketches and books surrounding Draco and Ron on the library’s floor. Draco supposed they must look quite the pair, all dusty and disheveled after an afternoon of research. In retrospect, it was surprising it had taken the others so long to find them.</p><p>“Where did you get this?” asked Hermione, gingerly holding up a muggle blueprint.  Draco cleared his throat and got to his feet.</p><p>“Well. All right then. Potter, I found a way to repay you.” He declared, trying to look poised. Harry narrowed his eyes at him.</p><p>“Repay me?”</p><p>“Yes. Ronald and I…” he made a face at Ron, who was slowly shuffling away from Draco, looking guiltily at his friends. “Fine, <em>I </em>shall endeavor to avenge your honor in return for your gracious behavior.”</p><p>Harry sighed and crossed his arms. He looked like a man bracing himself for catastrophe.</p><p>“What is this dishonor now?”</p><p>“The indignities that your muggle family put you through.”</p><p>“<em>What</em>?”</p><p>“Ron, I can’t believe you!” shrieked Hermione. Draco looked from her shocked expression to the dark rage building on Harry’s face.</p><p>“What’s the matter? Someone needs to do something, it’s a scandal Dumbledore allowed this-”</p><p>“<em>You</em> don’t get to talk about Dumbledore-”</p><p>“Why would you tell <em>him</em> about the Dursleys?”</p><p>“Well, I didn’t tell him everything,” stammered Ron, going very red in the face and looking apologetically at Harry.</p><p>“<em>There was more</em>?” shouted Draco, outraged.</p><p>“That is none of your fucking business Malfoy! It’s my life, my bloody relatives!” Harry yelled back and Draco threw his hands in the air.</p><p>“And my sentence is your business? If you can stick your righteous nose in my affairs, THEN SO CAN I!”</p><p>Draco noticed vaguely that Hermione was rushing Ron out of the room, but his main focus was on Harry. Magic was quickly impregnating the air and making the room smell like ozone, of all the things. Usually that would make Draco feel unsettled, but he was just too angry. He kept pushing forward until they were standing chest to chest, ready to come to blows.</p><p>“That’s different and you know it! And my plans didn’t involve murder!”</p><p>“I wasn’t planning to murder your fucking relatives, you imbecile, but maybe someone should, if there was more than what Ron told me!”</p><p>“WHY DO YOU CARE?”</p><p>“NOBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO TREAT YOU LIKE THIS. YOU’RE TOO IMPORTANT.” </p><p>Draco blinked at what he just said and amended awkwardly:<br/><br/></p><p>“I mean, nobody but me. Your ego would get too unmanageable.”</p><p>“You…” scoffed Harry, shaking his head. None of them was moving away. “Malfoy, you are such…”</p><p>“What?” They were whispering now. Why were they whispering?</p><p>Harry shook his head again and then pointed at the incriminating pile of paper still scattered on the floor. “What’s all this then?”</p><p>“Oh,” Draco rubbed his eyes. “I was going to turn them into dung beetles and put them in a terrarium. In the winter garden.” He shrugged. Harry gave a surprised laugh at that.</p><p>“Fuck,” he mumbled, grinning, and Draco found himself quite unexpectedly with two handfuls of Potter. They stumbled backwards until Draco’s back was pushed rather painfully against the library’s shelves, but he couldn’t bring himself to complain. Harry Potter was snogging him senseless.</p><p>Well. That answered the question.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 7</p><p>They eventually reached Harry’s bed. A lot of fumbling with belts and muffled curses followed their tumbling over the lumpy mattress, but at some point Harry found his bearings and gripped Draco <em>just so</em>. They found their rhythm. And then they were both gasping, biting and kissing. Harry was moaning, rutting into Draco’s hand, and Draco himself had just a second to worry over his vision going completely white. It was over in an embarrassingly short time.</p><p>“Merlin,” Harry said in between puffs of breath. Draco agreed with the sentiment, but his mouth refused to form coherent words for the moment. Bloody hell. He had just gotten off with the boy that had consistently vexed him since he was <em>eleven</em>.</p><p>Harry rolled to his back but kept close. Draco wondered idly what had happened to Harry’s friends. To Draco’s own friends. For that matter, what the sodding hell had happened to his left sock? He frowned at his foot, distracted. Turned his head to Harry and blurted:</p><p>“I can’t court you; you do realize that, right?”</p><p>Harry stared back at him in open astonishment.</p><p>“Court me?” his voice had a mild pitch of hysteria to it.</p><p>“It would be unseemly. I am a sentenced criminal. Plus, I can’t take you anywhere, I’m stuck at the Manor.”</p><p>“Erm… Maybe we can just finish fixing your roof, and go from there?” Harry suggested, looking at Draco oddly. Draco sniffed at that bourgeoise plan, but nodded his head.</p><p>“… Fucking lunatic,” Harry breathed out, a smile tugging one side of his lips. They fell into a lazy silence. Draco would adamantly deny it if questioned later, but he had linked his fingers through Potter’s and was felling rather cuddly.</p><p>“Draco?” Harry said a while later.</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“How did you know to do that thing? For my nightmares.” Draco turned his head towards Harry, who was looking back at him, appearing at once shy and determined. Draco shifted to his side, muttering a cleaning charm at the mess pooling between them. He bit his lip, considering.</p><p>“Well if you must know, Potter,” Harry snorted at his annoyed tone and Draco rolled his eyes. “It was last year. Things were bad at the Manor. You know.”</p><p>They both grimaced.</p><p>“Anyway. Sometimes I… In order to sleep, sometimes I would drag my bed against the wall. And I pretended you were there, and that you were watching my back.”</p><p>Draco glanced cautiously at Harry, trying to gauge his reaction at this frankly traumatizing confession. As he watched, Harry’s expression turned from solemn to disbelieving to wildly amused.</p><p>“Are you telling me that you, Draco Malfoy, <em>you</em>…” Harry’s shoulders started shaking. Draco scowled at him.</p><p>“I should have never said anything. You are a Merlin forsaken nuisance, Harry Potter.” Draco started to get off the bed, angrily doing up the buttons of his trousers. Harry grabbed his wrist, now openly snickering.</p><p>“No, wait. It’s just that you are such a <em>git</em> to me, and now you tell me that all this time you were thinking to yourself-”</p><p>“Not another fucking word, I’ll <em>kill</em> you. <em>And</em> I’ll make it look like an accident! I’ll-” raged Draco, struggling to get up. Harry wrapped his arms around him, fighting to keep Draco still, laughing so hard actual fucking tears were running down his eyes. The complete tosser.</p><p>“<em>All this time</em>, you were thinking: <em>‘Oh, Harry, save me!</em>’” That set him off the deep end, and they grappled for dominance, Harry still laughing, Draco still ranting, until they both ended up sprawled on the floor.</p><p>“Oh God,” Harry wheezed, brushing his tears away with the back of his hand, still chuckling now and then. “I wish I could tell 15 year old me about this.” Draco huffed.</p><p>“I’m never giving you another hand job. Ever. And see if I care when you end up screaming in your sleep.” Harry smiled broadly at him.</p><p>“And I hope the wallpaper in Grimmauld Place chokes you to death.”</p><p>“You can help me with it next year,” Harry said, pulling Draco closer.</p><p>“I most certainly will <em>not</em> help you, you inconsiderate prat. I’ll have you know-”</p><p>“Draco.”</p><p>“What?” he snapped, thoroughly incensed.              </p><p>“Can you do that thing with your tongue again?”</p><p>“Oh,” Draco froze and stared at Harry with surprise. Potter was blushing a bit, but still smiling. Draco made a big production out of rolling his eyes.</p><p>“…Yeah, okay.”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The end =D<br/>Thanks for reading everybody!</p>
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